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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bat · fork · track · tear · jam · craft · safe · ruler

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fork — in a road
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. tear — to rip
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. tear — from crying
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. craft — a skill
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bat — the animal
  22. tear — from crying
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com